Active school
Fredrikstad’s involvement in the European project “PACTE+” stemmed from its ongoing certification as a Global Active City.
As part of the project, the city of Fredrikstad organized with ICSSPE, partners of PACTE+, the workshop on “Active School: the foundation for a life-long physically active lifestyle” on September 24th, 2024 in Norway, one of the 4 pillars of the project.
Physical activity should be made available in the places where people spend most of their time: where we work, live and learn.
Physical activities at school
Fredrikstad Municipality is integrating Physical Active Learning (PAL) into its schools to enhance students’ academic performance and health. PAL involves incorporating physical activities into the curriculum, which has been shown to improve concentration and academic outcomes.
Several schools in Fredrikstad have adopted PAL, with activities like active breaks and movement-based lessons. Teachers receive specialized training to integrate these activities effectively. In 2022, a planning day with workshops on physical activities was organized, and a similar event is planned for November 2024, led by Gudeberg School teachers.
Success stories from, among others, Gudeberg Skole highlight the positive impact of PAL. Teachers completed a PAL course, planned and executed activities, and created resources like laminated worksheets and digital collections. Leadership at Gudeberg prioritizes PAL, providing time and resources for implementation. As a result, students are more engaged, and teachers observe improved behavior and academic outcomes.
Despite challenges like time constraints and limited resources, Fredrikstad Municipality is committed to making PAL a natural part of school life, aiming to expand its success to more schools.
